Friction shock absorbing mechanism



G. E. DATH FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM June 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 fl F. f

InVenj/orz Gear 6' EDa L h.

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June 6, 1950 E. DATH FRICTION snocx ABSORBING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. '12, 1946 G. E. DATH FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM June 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 Patented June 6, 1950 FRICTION SHQGK AESORBING- MECHANISM- George E. Dath, Mokena, 11L, assignoi; tow; H.

Miner, Inc Chicago, 111., acorporation of. Dela:-

ApplicationDecember 12, 19 426, SerialsN'o. 715,7562

(Cl. 213F324),

3'Glaims. 1.-

This-invention relates, to improvements frictiorr. Shock. absorbingmechanismsparticularly adapted for" draft riggings; of railway locomotives andrcars. s

One, object of the invention is. to provide; a friction shock absorbin m ni m: p i lly adapted: for railway draft; riggings having; relativelyshortpo-ckets for; accommodatingthe mechanism;

A further object of'the invention is to-provide a. friction shock absorbing mechanism particularly adapted for; a relatively short, draft rigging pocket, including a friction casing, frictionv shoes slidinglyv telescoped: within; the casing, a pressure transmitting: wedge; for wedging the: shoes apart into; tight frictional engagement withthe casing and; forcing: the same. inwardly along said; frictionsurfaces, and springs, yieldingly opposing movement of the; shoes inwardly of: the casing,

wherein the parts ofthe mechanismare arranged anddesignedi insuoh a mannerv as to make possible the use of,maximumllengthsprings, thereby adding considerably; to the shock absorbing capaoi-ty; and smooth action of. the device-..

Other objectsof the: invention will more clearly appear from the; description and claims herein-.

after following.

In the accompanying. drawings forming; a part of this: specification, Figure his a horizontal sectional: view ofmyimproved frictionshoclr absorbingl mechanism, showing the same-in applied position, aporti'on ofi-the draft gear pocket and a anism; as illustrated in the-drawings, comprises broadly a friction casing- A-, a pair of friction shoes B--B, a wedge member C, a spring follower D, and spring resistance means E.

The improved friction shock absorbing mech anism is contained in the usual draft gear pocket of the underframe structur of a rail-way locomotive or car, a portion of such an underframe structure being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, and indicated by ID. The underframe structure it is of the type usually employed in locomotives and presents front and rear stop shoulders or lugs llll and. I2--l2. The rear end portion of the usual coupler shank, shown in dotted lines, is

' ayoke- [40f well knownconstruction, also, shown indicated by l3,t o whichis; operatively connected in dotted lines. The yoke l4 supports the improved; shock absorbing mechanism within thedraft: pooket between thefront and rear stop lugs -l l'-- |-l and Ill-I2,- and transmits the draft and-buffing, forces thereto,

The friction casing A- of? my; improved friction shock; absorbing mechanism is in the formof a rectangular; boxlike memben openz at its; front end andrhaving spaced, horizontally disposed, topandbottom; walls 15; and Hi, spaced, verticalside walls el-4T, anda; transverserearwall Ill: The rear wall It presents substantially. flat, vertical abutmentfaces 19-49; on the-outer side at opposite sides thereof adapted-stocooperate with the rear stop lugsl2;-l-2,- and a rounded rear surface 20 therebetween which cooperates with the rear end: member; of the yoke, which is correspondingly v rounded to swivelthereorn The opposed side walls of the casing are provided with: substantially flat, interior friction surfaces. 2 l -2,l, which extendalengthwise of the casing and converg -inward yr The friction shoes B are two in number and are disposed atv opposite sides of? the mechanism, having lengthwise. extending, flat friction surfaces 22-42, on their outer sides engaging the friction surfaces ZIP-2! ofthe casing. Each shoe is laterally inwardly enlarged at the forward end portion thereof, as indicated at 23, thus providing a transversely extending abutment face 24 on said shoe at the rear end of said enlargement. The enlargement 22 of each shoe is provided with awedge face 25 on th inner side thereof, which is of V;-shaped, transverse section. The wedge faces 25j25'of the two shoes converge inwardly of the mechanism.

The wedge member" C; is in the form of a rela-:

tively heavy, substantially rectangular plate, having rearwardly extending wedge projections 2B 26" at opposite sides thereof provided" with Wedge faces 2-l21 of-V-shaped: transverse section, correspondingly inclined to and engaging respectively with the V-shaped wedg faces 2525 of the shoes. The plate portion of the 'wedge mem-'- ber C is extended outwardly beyond the wedge projections 26 to overlap the top and bottom walls [5 and t8 and the sid walls lll l of the casing, and presents a flat, peripheral abutment face 28 adapted to engage the outer ends of the walls l5, l6, and Il-ll to limit inward movement of the wedge member. The forward side of the platelike wedge member, which member functions as a front follower, presents substantially flat, vertically disposed abutment faces 29-29 at opposite sides thereof cooperating with the front stop lugs Il-l I. The front surface of the platelike wedge member C between the faces 2929 is rounded, as indicated at 30, to fit the vertical front end member of the yoke.

l The spring follower D is in the form of a substantially rectangular plate, bowed forwardly between its ends, thus providing a forwardly offset section 3| extending into the space between the wedge projections 23-26 of the wedge member. The offset section 3| of the spring follower D comprises a front, transverse wall 32 and spaced, rearwardly extending side walls 3333. At the rear end, the spring follower D presents laterally projecting flanges 343 at opposite sides thereof, extending outwardly from the rear ends of the side walls 3333 and engaging in back of the abutment faces 24-24 of the shoes B-B.

The spring resistance E comprises a relatively light inner coil and a heavier outer coil, disposed within the casing A and interposed between the spring follower D and the rear wall of the casing, the front ends of the springs extending into the forwardly offset portion 35 of the spring follower D and bearing on the front wall 32 thereof. The rear end of the inner coil of the spring means bears on shallow ribs 35 on the inner side of the rear end wall E8 of the casing, and the rear end of the outer coil bears on a second set of abutment ribs 36 projecting from said rear Wall and disposed about the central coil of the spring. As will be evident, the offset arrangement of the spring follower provides additional space for the spring means of the mechanism, thus making possible the use of relatively longer spring members, which add greatly to the efliciency of the device.

The operation of my improved friction shock absorbing mechanism is as follows: Upon outward movement of the coupler in draft, the yoke pulls the casing A forwardly compressing the mechanism against the front stop lugs HH and forcing the wedge C inwardly of the casing, the wedge being held stationary by the front stop lugs. In buff, the coupler is moved inwardly, carrying the yoke therewith and compressing the mechanism against the rear stop lugs l2| 2, the wedge C being forced rearwardly into the casing by the yoke and the casing being held against rearward movement by the rear stop lugs i2l2. As the wedge C moves inwardly of the casing in either draft or buff, the wedge faces thereof wedge the shoes apart and also force the same rearwardly of the casing against the resistance of the spring means E. High frictional resistance is thus produced. Compression of the mechanism continues until inward movement of the wedge C is limited by engagement of the abutment face 23 thereof with the front end of the casing, thereby preventing over compression of the springs. When the actuating force is reduced, the spring means returns all of the parts of the mechanism to the normal position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction casing having interior friction surfaces; of friction shoes slidingly engaged with the friction surfaces of the casing an inwardly movable wedge member having wedge faces engaging said shoes, said wedge member being recessed between said faces; a spring follower bearing on said shoes and having an offset section extending into the recess of said wedge member; and spring means within the casing opposing inward movement of said spring follower, said spring means extending into the offset section of said spring follower.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction casing having interior friction surfaces at opposite sides thereof of friction shoes at opposite sides of the mechanism slidably engaging said friction surfaces; an inwardly movable wedge member having laterally spaced, rearwardly extending wedge projections thereon in wedging engagement with said shoes respectively; a spring follower bearing on the inner ends of said shoes and having an outwardly offset section between said shoes extending into the space between the wedge projections of the wedge member; and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the spring follower, said spring means extending into the outwardly offset section of the spring follower.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction casing; of friction shoes at opposite sides of the casing in sliding frictional engagement with the interior side walls thereof, said shoes having transverse abutment shoulders at the rear end portions thereof; an inwardly movable, rearwardly extending wedge element in wedging engagement with each shoe, said wedge elements being rigidly united at their forward ends by a transverse plate member spanning the space between said elements; a spring follower having a forwardly bowed, central portion and laterally extending flanges engaged in back of the abutment shoulders of the shoes, said bowed portion being forwardly offset and extending between said wedge elements; and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the spring follower, said spring means having its front end seated in the forwardly offset bowed portion of said spring follower.

GEORGE E. DATH.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ritter June 25, 1901 Number 

